The holidays are right around the corner and while the Ohio weather has gotten colder, the Cleveland Cavaliers have heated up with eight straight wins as they continue to climb up the Eastern Conference standings. It was only a matter of time before LeBron James and company started to string together wins in bunches and now they are starting to look like the contender many thought they would be. It’s unlikely they will slide from the top spot on our NBA Future Odds Power Rankings list any time soon.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers This Week: +275 NBA Championship OddsThe obvious favorites to win an NBA Championship this season remain on top of the NBA Power Rankings thanks to the developing chemistry and LeBron’s leadership over the past seven days. The Cavaliers are now 5-0 when LeBron makes 70 passes or more in a game and he will continue to become that much more dangerous as he develops chemistry with his new teammates. Kyrie Irving has made a noticeable commitment to defense while Kevin Love has started to become more comfortable in a Cleveland uniform at both ends of the floor. Dion Waiters has adjusted to his role and the Cavaliers will become even more dangerous when Mike Miller returns and boosts their depth by giving them another threat off the bench.
2. Golden State Warriors This Week: +475 odds
Some fans are having a hard time accepting just how good the Warriors are, but a quick look at the numbers illustrates their dominance. Stephen Curry has emerged as a legitimate NBA superstar averaging a team-leading 23 points per game for the league’s fourth-ranked scoring offense that also happens to rank second in field goal percentage.
Perhaps even more impressive is Golden State’s commitment to defense as they lead the NBA in field goal percentage defense and defensive efficiency. The Warriors have an incredibly deep roster when healthy and their commitment to playing at an elite level at the defensive end of the floor has been the difference as they have emerged as the NBA’s most complete team through the first two months of the regular season.
3. San Antonio Spurs This Week: +500 oddsAs long as they remain in a playoff position, the defending NBA champions will only slide so far on this list. While they are seeded right behind Golden State, the majority of basketball experts would probably still take them in a seven-game series. The big three of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker will only be able to perform at an elite level in stretches and we have seen head coach Gregg Popovich do his best to limit their minutes so far this season. Tiago Splitter, Kawhi Leonard, and Patty Mills have all played at a high level. But the fact that the Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker trio has already missed a combined 46 games has to be somewhat concerning moving forward.
T-4. Chicago Bulls This Week: +1000 odds“… If Derrick Rose is healthy” is perhaps the most frustrating sentiment in the NBA in big part because he almost never is. Rose has been in and out of the lineup all year and the key for Chicago will be to have him when it matters the most in the postseason.
Pau Gasol has been a force since arriving in the Eastern Conference while Jimmy Butler’s emergence has helped offset the loss of Rose when he has been out of the lineup. While Rose’s healthy will always be a concern there is a good chance head coach Tom Thibodeau is bothered more by the fact that the Bulls rank 14th in the NBA with an average of 99.5 points allowed per game. Chicago has to be better in its own end and, considering Thibodeau’s resume, that number should improve as the season progresses.
T-4. Oklahoma City Thunder This Week: +1000 oddsIt’s somewhat surprising that Oklahoma City is still seeded this high even though they currently sit 12th in the Western Conference at five games below .500. The return of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook makes this team an instant contender in the eyes of the NBA experts but considering Golden State’s dominance and the fact that even if the Thunder won’t have home advantage even if they climb back in to a playoff position this year it’s somewhat surprising to see them this high. None of the top four seeds in the Western Conference will want to play Oklahoma City in the opening round of the playoffs but that doesn’t mean the Thunder are a legitimate NBA title contender even when Durant and Westbrook both healthy and playing at an elite level.
6. Memphis Grizzlies This Week: +1200 oddsMemphis’ 22-game home winning streak came to an end, but the Grizzlies dodged a bullet when an MRI revealed Marc Gasol hadn’t suffered any major structural damage. No team has been better in terms of points allowed per game than Memphis and having both Gasol and Zach Randolph healthy is undoubtedly the biggest key to their success.
The fact that Tony Allen would celebrate a turnover is proof of this team’s commitment to defending at an elite level. But the Grizzlies still don’t have the same level of offensive flare that teams like Golden State and San Antonio do. There is still time for Memphis to address its offensive shortcomings before the trade deadline and it wouldn’t be a shock if they made a move.
T-7. Dallas Mavericks This Week: +1400 oddsConsistency has been the key all year for a Mavericks team that has had no problem beating up on the teams below them in the standings but still isn’t an elite contender. Monta Ellis has paced the league’s highest scoring offense with a team-leading 20.6 points per game but there has to be some concern over if Dirk Nowitzki can hold up after he has been in and out of the lineup over the past month. Dallas should be a lock to make the playoffs but even if Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler stay healthy they will have a tough time matching up against the Warriors or Spurs.
T-7. Los Angeles Clippers This Week: +1400 oddsNo team is more entertaining to watch night in and night out than Lob City, as the Clippers always seem more than willing to put on a show. Blake Griffin has played at an elite level at times this season, but how he will be judged this season will depend almost entirely on his ability to play at that type of level in the postseason. Chris Paul is the glue that continues to bring everything together and while Los Angeles has been very entertaining it’s still important to point out that they are still just 3-5 against opponents with a record better than .500 this season.
9. Houston Rockets This Week: +1600 oddsThe fact that Houston continued to find ways to win games without Dwight Howard in the lineup is impressive as they went 7-3 without their star big man. And with him, they can be even better come playoff time. James Harden is the only player in the NBA that has averaged at least 25 points, five rebounds, and five assists this season and the presence of players like Trevor Ariza and Terrence Jones has made the Rockets that much better at both ends of the floor. The commitment to defense has paid off as Houston ranks fourth in the NBA with an average of just 94.6 points allowed per game this season.
T-10. Portland Trailblazers This Week: +2000 oddsA tough loss to the Timberwolves might have been cause for pause when it comes to nominating Portland as one of the best teams from the Western Conference. LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lilllard have taken their spot among the league’s most dominant duos but it’s also worth pointing out the importance of players like Chris Kaman and Nicolas Batum especially when pointing out that the Blazers lead the NBA in rebounding. Consistency will be key for Portland as they battle for home court advantage in the West and they can’ afford many more losses to teams like Minnesota.
T-10. Toronto Raptors This Week: +2000 oddsToronto is 2-2 and ranks 28th in defensive efficiency without DeMar DeRozan and it really hurts that they lost him just as their schedule started to get more difficult. The Raptors still have some talented pieces to help shoulder the load behind Kyle Lowry with Lou Williams and Grievis Vasquez taking on bigger loads but ultimately they need DeRozan in the lineup to have a chance in the Eastern Conference. Jonas Valanciunas continues to develop in to a quality big man but with names like Robin Lopez being floated around it wouldn’t be a major shocker if Toronto went the trade route when it comes to potentially adding another big man to help solidify their status as a contender.
12. Washington Wizards +2500 odds
13. Atlanta Hawks +5000 odds
14. Miami Heat +6600 odds
15. New Orleans Pelicans +7500 odds
